I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned this here on the blog before, but all of us in my family are guilty of being Nova-philes. We gather together every Tuesday evening to watch interesting stories about exploding stars, or volcanic eruptions, or Mayan culture, or melting icebergs. It’s fascinating, and what really makes me smile is the fact that my 5-year-old son becomes just as engrossed in these episodes as I do.

Last night was a great evening for several reasons. I got home from work to a pair of boys that were eager to run and play at the park and enjoy the nice weather. We all hiked up to the park and played together for an hour. We wandered to the grocery store and picked up dinner, then hiked back home (it’s only about 4 blocks – not much of a hike, to tell the truth) and sat down for some Nova. It wasn’t an overly interesting show (I prefer the ultra-science topics, like space and biology, interspersed with the occasional ancient civilization), but we all got to hang out together.

At one point I realized that I need to cherish these moments. My boys are currently only 5 and 2, but the laws of nature dictate that they get older, and eventually they will have their own social lives to manage, far, far away from our cozy little home. For now, I have to hold onto the moments where we get to cuddle together on the couch and watch a show together. Someday very soon, the very word “cuddle” will force my boys will roll their eyes and pretend that we old parental units don’t exist.